1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of weighing scales, and more specifically to weighing scales utilized for weighing bags used to hold and carry things such as groceries.
2. Description of Prior Art
Recently the use of plastic bags to load and carry groceries has added many benefits to retail shops and stores. The bags are easier to use and to carry items such as groceries in. There are numerous economic advantages to the use of such plastic bags.
The use of these plastic bags have presented problems as well. One of the major problems is the overloading/under-loading of the plastic bags. If the bags are overloaded they may break causing the contents to spill out and potentially break. This causes a problem for the customers of the store. If the bags are under-loaded, the store is using too many bags and having a detrimental environment effect. For a chain of stores that uses millions of bags a year a 10, percentage under filling can cost the chain millions of dollars.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,381 by Swaine, et al., issued on Dec. 26, 2000, is a “Self-service checkout terminal.” It discloses a self-service checkout terminal and includes a base having a bag-well defined. This patent has a bag scale that can weigh a multiple of grocery bags. It is not defined in great detail in the patent. The bag scale is positioned below the bag-well and is used for security purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,078 by Torres, et al., issued Apr. 10, 2001, is for a “Method and apparatus for determining a stable weight measurement for use in a security software application of a self-service checkout terminal.” It discloses a method of operating a retail terminal having a weight scale associated therewith including the step of executing a security software application so as to provide security to the retail terminal during operation thereof. This invention has a number of different scales but none that seem to be similar to the Integrated Indicator/LED Panel with Scale Base example for Bag Weigher.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,262 by Lutz, issued on Apr. 4, 2000, is for a “Method for providing security and enhancing efficiency during operation of a self-service checkout terminal.” It discloses a method of providing security for a self-service checkout terminal including the step of determining a time-of-day value and a day-of-week value. As with the previous patent, this invention has scales associated with it but none that seem to be similar to the Integrated Indicator/LED Panel with Scale Base example for Bag Weigher.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,789 by Levine, et al., issued Feb. 20, 2001, is for a “Method and system for a merchandise checkout system.” It is a method and system for a merchandise checkout system utilizing a remote scanning device, a shopping cart and bags for allowing a purchaser to buy merchandise unassisted by store personnel. The purchaser upon completion of their purchases takes their shopping cart to a security station for weighing in on a scale wherein an actual combined weight of the shopping cart, bags and products is compared to a predicted weight determined by the central processor and generating a notification signal if a discrepancy occurs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,310 by Chadwell, issued on May 20, 1997, is an “Automatic ice bagger with self-contained sanitizing system.” U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,982 by Schroeder, et al., issued on Dec. 10, 1996, is for a “Method for automatically bagging ice using a timer and multi-positional electronic scale.” They disclose ice bagger comprising an ice maker, an ice bagging unit which includes an automatic sanitation system, and a merchandiser. A scale supports the bag during its filling to measure the weight of the ice delivered into the bag from the hopper. When the scale registers the desired amount of ice, the auger ceases to deliver ice from the hopper into the delivery chute.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,961 by Schneider, issued on Dec. 8, 1992, is for a “Supermarket with self-service checkout.” It discloses the incorporation of self-serve checkout systems within a supermarket. The installation of self-serve checkout systems is shown whereby the productivity of the supermarket is maintained, no significantly increased floorspace requirements occur, the human supervisor of the self-serve checkout systems is able to strategically carry out his/her duties and the co-existence with conventional checkout lanes is allowed. As well, a method and apparatus for integrating a labor savings car order bag handling system with the checkout lanes of the supermarket is shown. In addition, a method and apparatus for augmenting the checkout productivity of produce items is shown.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,664 by Vrooman, et al., issued on Sep. 4, 1990, is for an “Ergonomically designed check-out counter system for supermarket and merchandising industries.” It discloses an ergonomically designed check-out counter system for supermarket and merchandising industries that is characterized by provisions for differences in human heights, hand and position of operators and for ease in handling of merchandise to reduce fatigue and injury to the operators while providing maximum productivity under both light and heavy through put requirements.
The problem of under-filling and overfilling of plastic grocery bags leaves room for improvement within the art.
1. Field of the Invention
U.S. Class 177-45
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR § 1.97** > and 1.98<.